Zendaya and Lupita Nyong’o help power ‘The Odyssey’ toward $1 billion

Christopher Nolan’s epic has earned $639.6 million worldwide in two weeks as the IMAX blockbuster continues to dominate the global box office.

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is showing no signs of slowing down. Just two weeks into its theatrical run, the star-studded epic, which features Zendaya as the goddess Athena, and Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and her half-sister Clytemnestra, has climbed to $639.6 million at the global box office, according to Entertainment Weekly.

The film delivered a commanding second weekend, adding $87 million to bring its domestic total to $286.3 million per Rentrak. EW reported that the adaptation of Homer’s 3,000-year-old tale is now eyeing the $1 billion mark, a benchmark Nolan has crossed before with “The Dark Knight” and its sequel, “The Dark Knight Rises.”

Much of that momentum, the outlet noted, has been fueled by IMAX. As the first feature shot entirely on 70mm IMAX cameras, “The Odyssey” has become a must-see on premium screens, with IMAX seats in major markets like Los Angeles and New York selling out weeks ahead and scalpers reselling tickets at steep markups.

A thin field of competition has helped. As reported by EW, Disney’s live-action “Moana” has struggled to gain traction, sitting at $228 million globally three weeks in. The bigger story elsewhere was “Toy Story 5,” which crossed $1 billion worldwide to become the year’s third film to hit the milestone, after “Michael” and “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.”

The competitive landscape shifts next weekend, and in a fun twist, it pits Zendaya’s leading man against himself. Tom Holland, who plays Telemachus in “The Odyssey,” returns as Peter Parker in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” his fourth solo Marvel outing and first time in the suit since 2021. Zendaya stars alongside him in that film as well, meaning audiences will soon have two blockbusters featuring the real-life couple.

There’s one catch for the web-slinger, though. EW reported that “The Odyssey” has locked up IMAX screens for an exclusive three-week run, forcing “Brand New Day” to open on other premium formats like Dolby and RPX instead.